Chapter 2

MORE FLASHBACKS

5th Month of their relationship (Natalie’s Upcoming Birthday)

               

“Stella, please help me to make Natalie’s birthday memorable”

                Russell pleads Stella for her help to prepare a celebration for Natalie as he wants to give her the best birthday she’ll experience with him, after all it was their very first birthday celebration together so he wants to impress her greatly. She looks at him for a while before agreeing. She really didn’t like him for Natalie from the beginning because he had a past reputation of being a play boy back when he and Natalie were not together yet. She took a deep breath and sighed, as she agree.

“Fine”

                Russell then smiles and thanked Stella and starts to call up more of Natalie’s circle of friends and her Family as well. They all decided to meet up in a restaurant to brainstormed ideas in order to make Natalie's 26th birthday memorable.

6th Month of their Relationship (Natalie's Birthday)

07:30 AM

                Natalie wakes up excitedly as it was her day. She stood up and checks her phone for the birthday greetings and wishes by her Family and friends but her smile faded when there is no any messages greeting from them. Despite of this she then went on with her routine and starts her day by taking a shower. She then went outside as she had a meeting with the publishers for her book as the popularity boosted just in months of publishing it.  She went in and gets greeted by her co-writers and publishers as she headed inside and into the conference room. They started the meeting afterwards and discussed the popularity of the said the book and having plans to get another series and so forth. As the meeting starts, her mind were somewhere else as she was checking her phone from time to time, waiting for her family and friends, especially Russell’s messages.

                The meeting ended after few hours and she quickly checks her phone again but nothing appeared on the screen. Disappointment filled her heart but then she shook her head and goes out the conference room. She then took out her phone and check out their group messages that consisting of her friends and Family. She then wrote in the group chat.

“Guys, are you forgetting something?”

                As Natalie went out of the company, her boyfriend were waiting in the lobby with a smile on his face. Seeing him, her gloominess disappeared and her aura brightened up and dash towards him with a hug. Russell then chuckles and hugs her back as well and lets her go after a while. She looks at him and got curious as he doesn’t have anything on with him.

‘Has he forgotten what day it is also?’ she asked herself with a pout and somehow Russell saw through her and chuckles at her cuteness.

“I came here to pick you up” he said with a smile as he reached her hand, winked at her and gently dragged her into his car.

“Ah wait, my car”

“Let the guards handle it first, we’ll use my car, we can get it back later.” Russell said as he starts up the engine of his car and drives off.

                Meanwhile Natalie’s family were waiting in the venue for the two arrived. They just finished setting up the place as it looks like a fairytale, with a lot of fairy lights everywhere glittering around. The food table were full of Natalie’s favorite, along with the side full of gifts from her family and friends as well as her growing avid fans. Their family and friends had in touch with them since they were also part of her celebration as they were like family to her. A huge screen with projector were also set up in the middle where video greetings of them will be played. Stella then texted Russell and tells him to buy more time before going to the venue. She then checked if everything is perfect and smiles as everything was done and goes back to the others and told them to turn off the lights and hide before the two arrived to surprise the celebrant. She then received a reply from Russell.

“Let’s keep going the two will be here in minutes” she told them as they quickly scattered around and turn off the lights.

                The couple were happily talking as they were in the car as their favorite song starts playing in the background. She hums with the music as her boyfriend takes a glances on her, being mesmerized by her beauty. Natalie on the other hand were excited as she was with him. After a while they stopped at an entrance of an events place as then Russell took out a blindfold and looks at her.

“Wait I need to put this on you,” he said as Natalie let her blindfolds her eyes and he guides her on the way to avoid any accident may happen to Natalie.

                The two walk towards the gardens where the others are quietly waiting and watching them enter the grounds. They prepare and position themselves as the two walks closer and stops at the middle. Russell then carefully took off the blindfold off her. As she slowly opens her eyes they quickly took an action and sprint out of their hiding places and happily greeted the birthday girl. Fairy lights were eventually turned on, illuminating the decors around. Natalie looks around and gets emotional as her family and friends greeted her again one by one. She then sniffles and playfully hits her best friend, who was the last one greeted her.

“And I thought you guys really forget”

“How can we forget our lovely Natalie’s birthday?” she giggled as she hugs her, rubbing her back as she hiccupped.

“Enough crying, we’re here to celebrate your birthday” Dahlia, one of her closest friends said as she comes close to them and continues as she gets a party popper and pops it above Natalie, making confetti falls on her head.

“There are some more people wants to greet you as well” she said and pointed at the big white screen.

                As Natalie looked, the projector starts playing and videos of her fans played, greeting and wishing her well. She then gets overwhelmed once again by the love they giving her and continues to watch the whole video. As the video ended she sniffed and looks at her family and friends thanking them for all the preparations they made of her today.

“You don’t have to thank us, it was all Russell’s idea” Clyde winked, getting a nudge from his friend.

                Natalie then looks at him and tackled him a huge warm hug, getting him surprise and causing the two of them fall the ground. The others get surprise as well and gets a bit worried. As they were about to asked if they were ok, Natalie giggled and looks at them, nodding, making the others relieved and burst into chuckles as well.

“This is one of the best birthdays  I had” she said as she looks at Russell again.

“Thank you”

“It was nothing”

                He smiles as then Natalie leans again and kissing him, giving him their first kiss.

END OF FLASHBACK